The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-08-20
THE LESSON.

L llllCOUlN. go
"Come, Birdie, nurse isI waitinSl Rur
now, and lot her fix your curls. You
must look very neat or Mr.. Everton vii
not love you. 1t Is almost dinner time
and he will aoon bs here" said Birdis'l
mother.
immediately the child sprang up, raised
her uweet lips to kiss mamma and followed
the nurse to the room.
ut is perfectly wonderful how much
influence Mr.. Evsrton has overthat child
Just tell her to do anything aud it will
please him and that iu enough. I never
saw anything like it." tho little lady said.
turning to q friend sitting beside her,
who aunwered:
II have, and I would not encourage, or
rather | would endeavor to overcome that
influence"
"Now, my dear Ada, what Is troubling
That wise head OF youYs7 What means
that grave look and anxious light in your
eye?".
"Nellie Hayden, Pm perfectly aston.
iahed at people whose duty 1t Ia to watch
over and guard their little ones, particu.
larly their Rirls, from sorrow, planting Ia
their young hearts seed that may grow Ia
BIZ thorna, aud treating children as il they
were void Of any deeper thought and feel
ing than tho appreciation Of d doll or O
box OF toys. l am sure some children o!
five years have hearts that Iowa as devot'
eddy and suffer as keenly as many Of ma
ture years. You are shaking your head,
| want to tell you a little story to prove
my assertion. We have half an hour be-
fore dinner. Will you listen ?"
Eyes, certainly. But it muet have 8
happy ending" answered Mrs. Hayden.
II cannot promise. Perhaps the end
has not yet come. You know Dora Fey
tonW
"Yea, certainly. A lovelIer girl I never
knew. Why she has never married has
been a source Of wonder to me-
AYE, and to many who knew her moi
30 veil as I. 1t is Of her | am going 10
tell you. Twenty-Five years ago, when
just at the age OF your, Birdie, and Just as
loving, too, ayoung nan CROSSED her path,
We will call him Abner Lynton. Hc was
d classmatc aud the dearest friend or
Dora's' brother. At O party given during
the Ohrietmas holidays by Mira. Peyton,
Abner, to piaue one Of tho little girls, at
tsched himself ior the oyening 10 little
Dora, dancing with her, promenadine
through the rooms with her tiny .hande
clasped in his, much to the annoyance Of
many hright-eyed %laesies, who really were
envious OF the baby girl. Abner was very
handsome and very ~iss6instiag, a nnivsr-
sal ~isvorite with the ladies, yound ana
| old. Several mammas endeavored to
draw bin from his little love- as he called
het, end mas,oeuyered to get,her from him,
| but all in vain, unit. YEARLY Tho sunny
head dropped, and, with her arms around
his neck, be. sweet lips giving the good-
night kiss, she aanh to sleep. Gently then
he resigned her to her nurst'e care.
Every day from that time he came to tho
house. His home was quite near. at the
sound OF his voice Dora sprang forward
With cutstretched arms to meet him. I
have seen her cit with her hand in his,
locking up ;atp his face for an hour, seem.
ingly perfectly happy. OF course this was
noticed by the family and commented
upon. The child's 0ldsr brothers and sis
,ers could win her ayen to do their will by
saying:
I'm tell Mr.. Lynton II you don't, and
be won't love you then"
Daily ahe gathered q little boquet for
him, and when the autumn days came,
and the flowers were few, the little love
would watch closely the slowly opening
buds, leat SONG one else should Get them.
SO tho days passed by, ior two yeare, and
then for q time she was separated from
| the ona abe had grown to love 90 dearly.
"Better than brother ?"they would some.
times ask her.
"Yes," would come the whispered anr
swer, quickly.
"Better than piater?"
"Yes" yithont hesitation, again the
whisper came.
"Thsn father and mother ~
And the deep blue eyes would grow 30
earnest, and the pretty, lips would part
and close again, and II unwilling to utter
the words ahe feared might wound. When
pressed to answer, her eyes sought mam.
ma, then papa, as II pleading their forgive
ness, and II tan't help it; just a little tiny
little bit moreW she murmured and buried
nor head in Abner's bosom. She chung
around bis NECK, and begged to go with
him when the hour OF parting came.
With promises of q speedy return and
letters very often, he managed to soothe
her.
Perhaps the child might have in time,
been wesned from this strange attach
nent, if they had ceased 10 talk to her OF
her Of him but possessing, aa it were, q
magic wand to guide her actions, they
used it freely.
How well l remember, as she utood CO,
gerly watching the carrier as he came
from door to door. IS 1earer no drew she
grew 80 excited aud anxious that my
heart trembled lest she should be disap-
noiutsd. But the lettor came, and with a
wild ory OF 10y, abe pressed II to her
bosom and ran with 1t for mamma to
read,n His sbsencoS was short. He re-
turned, bring her as a Christmas gift, a
pretty little chain to which was attached a